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Thompson & Morgan's new retail range arrived on the shelves last month, with more than 50 new seed varieties being launched for the second year in a row.

Heading the parade of new blooms is Zinnia Queeny Mixed, billed as T&M's 2019/20 Flower of the Year. With unusual chocolate-lime colouring and large double blooms that sit above tall, upright stems emerge in shades of cocoa brown before gradually fading to lime green. Height: 60-80cm (24-31”).

Other new flowers in the range are:

Cosmos Apricot Lemonade: A breakthrough from T&M's breeding programme, blooms open in a shade of soft apricot with a pale lavender underside, before fading to a pale creamy yellow. The mauve-pink ring around the centre of each bloom adds a lovely extra detail. Height: 50-70cm (20-27").

Nasturtium Baby Deep Rose: Unusual deep rosy-pink blooms set this gorgeous variety apart from traditional types. Easy to grow, ideal for filling pots, hanging baskets, or as ground cover. Height: 30-35cm (12-14").

On the edibles front, flavoursome, heart-shaped tomato Gourmandia F1 has been named Vegetable of the Year.

New vegetables include:

Dwarf Bean Caledonia: Growing to around 60cm (24") tall, this bean is compactand high yielding, making it ideal for small gardens or containers. The attractive cream-coloured flowers give this plant ornamental value too. Height: 60cm (24”). Spread: 45cm (18”).

Spring Onion Totem: Long, uniform upright stems do not bulb at the base, so thinning is not required, so can fit more into confined spaces or containers. This varieties has excellent cold weather tolerance. Height: 30cm (12”). Spread: 5cm (2”).

Watermelon Mini Love F1: Bred specifically for growing in the Northern Europe climate, for growing outside or in the greenhouse. Each plant is capable of producing between 5-6 fruits weighing up to 3-5kg (7-11lbs). These melons have a fresh taste, juicy texture and high sugar content – refreshing and delicious on a hot day! Height: 30cm (12”). Spread: 4m (13’).

T&M is also launching a number of new seed collections, including Autumn Collections.

One of the new products launched for next season is incredicoir – a coir block which makes up to the equivalent of a 10 litre bag of peat-free compost once water is added.

T&M's Joseph Cordy said: “We’re thrilled to be offering this fantastic range for next season – and we’ve managed to also hold our seed prices for the second year in a row which is a great bonus for all our customers”.

For more information, visit the online catalogue at www.thompson-morgan.com

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